AU Commission

AU Commission
Name	AU Commission
Formation	2002
Type	Continental institution
Headquarters	Addis Ababa
Region served	Africa
Parent organization	African Union

AU Commission

The AU Commission is the administrative and executive arm of the African Union, headquartered in Addis Ababa, established to coordinate continental initiatives across fields such as African Continental Free Trade Area, African Peer Review Mechanism, New Partnership for Africa's Development, African Union Mission in Somalia, and African Union Development Agency. It works with institutions including the Pan-African Parliament, the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Economic Commission for Africa, the African Export-Import Bank and engages with states such as Nigeria, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Kenya as well as international partners like the United Nations, the European Union, the African Development Bank, and the World Bank.

History

The Commission was created following reforms tied to decisions at the Organisation of African Unity summit and the transition to the African Union in the early 2000s, influenced by frameworks like the Sirte Declaration and endorsed during assemblies in Maputo and Durban. Its predecessors and structural models drew on experiences from the Organisation of African Unity, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and continental initiatives such as Agenda 2063 and the New Partnership for Africa's Development. Early mandates reflected commitments made at the Lomé Summit and were shaped amid crises including interventions in Rwanda, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and subsequent peace operations in Darfur and Somalia.

Mandate and Functions

The Commission's mandate encompasses execution of decisions by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, coordination with the African Union Commission on International Law, oversight of electoral support like missions to Burundi and Zimbabwe, and management of continental policy instruments including the African Continental Free Trade Area protocol, the Africa Free Movement Protocol, and initiatives under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme. It provides administrative services to organs such as the African Union Commission on International Cooperation and secretariat support to the Peace and Security Council and the Specialized Technical Committees on sectors ranging from Health (via ties to Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) to Infrastructure (engaging with Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa).

Organizational Structure

The Commission is organized into departments and directorates that traditionally mirror portfolios like Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Infrastructure and Energy, Social Affairs, Trade and Industry, and Humanitarian Affairs. It houses units interfacing with bodies such as the Pan-African Parliament, the Permanent Representatives Committee, the African Peer Review Mechanism secretariat, and liaison offices accredited to entities including the European Union and the United Nations. Its regional offices coordinate with regional economic communities such as ECOWAS, SADC, EAC, IGAD, and ECCAS to implement continental policies and programs.

Leadership and Commissioners

Leadership comprises a Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, and Commissioners responsible for thematic portfolios akin to portfolios managed by ministries in member states like South Africa and Nigeria. Past and present leaders have included figures who worked with institutions such as the United Nations, the African Development Bank, the World Health Organization, and national administrations of countries including Ethiopia, Chad, and Senegal. Commissioners interact with heads of state during sessions of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, coordinate with permanent representatives in Addis Ababa, and are appointed pursuant to protocols negotiated among Member States and ratified at AU summits.

Policies and Programs

The Commission administers continental strategies such as Agenda 2063, the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative, the African Continental Free Trade Area implementation plan, and the Continental Education Strategy for Africa. It supports programs like the African Peer Review Mechanism, electoral observer missions in countries such as Mali and Gambia, and coordinates humanitarian response in crises in South Sudan and Burundi in partnership with agencies like the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the World Food Programme. The Commission also promotes initiatives on public health with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and economic integration with the African Development Bank and African Export-Import Bank.

Relations with African Union Organs and Member States

The Commission provides secretariat services to the Peace and Security Council, the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Pan-African Parliament, and coordinates with regional economic communities such as ECOWAS, SADC, EAC, IGAD, and ECCAS. It implements Assembly decisions from summits hosted by members like Rwanda, Morocco, and Egypt', liaises with permanent missions representing states including Algeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and Tunisia, and negotiates partnerships with external actors including the European Union and the People's Republic of China.

Criticisms and Reforms

Scholars and policymakers from institutions such as the Brookings Institution, Chatham House, and the Council on Foreign Relations have critiqued the Commission on issues of financing, efficiency, staffing, and implementation gaps noted in reports aligning with lessons from NEPAD and recommendations from the African Peer Review Mechanism. Calls for reform echo proposals advanced at AU summits in Addis Ababa and workshops convened by the African Development Bank, urging improved accountability mechanisms, enhanced cooperation with regional economic communities, and streamlined relations with multilateral partners such as the United Nations and the European Union. Debates over jurisdiction and capacity have arisen in the context of missions to Somalia, Darfur, and responses to Ebola outbreaks, prompting proposed structural changes and programmatic realignments.

Category:African Union